Qualification details
Title
New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture (Farming Systems) (Level 3)
Version
1
Qualification type
Certificate
Level
3
Credits
85
NZSCED
050199
Agriculture, Environmental and Related Studies > Agriculture >
Agriculture not elsewhere classified
Qualification developer
Primary ITO
Next review
December 2017
Approval date
17 April 2014
Strategic purpose statement
The purpose of this qualification is to provide the pastoral farming
sector with graduates who have a broad theoretical
understanding of New Zealand pastoral farming systems and
practical capability in the pastoral farming sector.
Graduates will benefit by having a breadth of pastoral farming
knowledge and skills valued by employers in the pastoral
farming sector which will facilitate improved performance in the
workplace and career progression.
The pastoral farming industry will benefit from being able to
identify and recruit graduates who have an understanding of the
key inputs into farming systems, and the wider context of the
pastoral farming industry in terms of environmentally and
financially sustainable farming practices.
This qualification is designed to be flexible enough to reflect
regional and industry variations in demand for skills.
Graduates will be capable of working under limited supervision
in the pastoral farming sector.
Outcome Statement
Graduate profile
Education pathway
Qualification Reference 2220
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
Graduates of this qualification will be able to:
-
Apply theoretical knowledge of key farming inputs to pastoral
farming systems.
-
Assist with key livestock production tasks in a pastoral
farming context.
-
Utilise technology within pastoral farming systems.
-
Assess and minimise risk to self, others and equipment.
-
Apply theoretical knowledge of sustainable practices to
pastoral farming systems.
This qualification may build on the New Zealand Certificate in
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Primary Industry Skills (Level 2) [Ref: 2218] or the National
Certificate of Educational Achievement (Level 2) with Vocational
Pathways in Primary Industries endorsement.
This qualification may lead on to the New Zealand Certificate in
Agriculture (Level 4) with strands in Arable Farming, Dairy
Farming, and Livestock Farming [Ref: 2212].
Employment pathway
Graduates of this qualification may be employed in a range of
roles in pastoral farming enterprises requiring limited supervision,
for example milk harvester, shepherd, dairy farm assistant or
general farm hand.
Qualification specifications
Qualification award
This qualification may be awarded by the Primary ITO as the
qualification developer and the industry training organisation
arranging training leading to the qualification under section 5
of the Industry Training Act 1992.
This qualification may also be awarded by an education
organisation accredited under section 250 of the Education
Act 1989 to deliver an approved programme leading to this
qualification.
The formal document certifying the award of this qualification
will display the NZQF logo and may also include the name
and/or logo of the awarding education organisation.
Evidence requirements for managing
consistency
All education organisations offering programmes leading to
the qualification must engage with arrangements for
managing consistency, including covering actual and
reasonable related costs.
Each education organisation is responsible for deciding what
specific evidence it will provide to demonstrate how well its
graduates meet the graduate profile outcomes of the
qualification.
Evidence of the following must be provided:
• Student feedback on course delivery and qualification
achievement, their perception of the value of the training,
and suggestions for improvements
• Feedback from employers on the level of skills, knowledge
and behaviour demonstrated by graduates of the
qualification
• Evidence of effective internal quality assurance systems
• Portfolios of work and/or assessment samples
demonstrating the range of student performance within a
programme
TEOs can also provide any other relevant evidence that
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© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
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supports the consistency review.
Credit transfer and recognition of
prior learning arrangements
Education organisations must have policies and procedures
in place for managing credit transfer, and assessing
recognition of prior learning and recognition of current
competency. These policies and procedures, and
information about associated fees, must be available to the
candidate prior to enrolment.
To facilitate credit transfer, education organisations must
clearly demonstrate the equivalency or comparability
between each of the outcomes in the graduate profile, and
the assessment components of their programmes.
Minimum standard of achievement
and standards for grade
endorsements
The minimum standard of achievement required for award of
the qualification will be the achievement of all graduate
outcomes in the graduate profile through successful
completion of an NZQA approved programme.
Entry requirements (including
prerequisites to meet regulatory body
or legislative requirements)
There are no mandatory prerequisites for this qualification.
Qualification conditions
Overarching conditions relating to the qualification
Conditions for programme
structure
None.
Conditions for programme
context
None.
Other conditions
Aspects of communication, observation and reporting apply across all
outcomes.
Specific conditions relating to the Graduate profile
Qualification outcomes
Conditions
Mandatory
or Optional
1
Apply theoretical knowledge of key farming
inputs to pastoral farming systems.
Programmes may include the
following:
Optional
Credit 30
-
soil science and nutrient
use
-
livestock breeding and
nutrition
-
livestock anatomy and
physiology
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2
3
4
5
-
plant science
-
livestock health
-
pasture production.
Assist with key livestock production tasks in a
pastoral farming context.
Programmes must include the
following:
Credit 30
-
livestock handling
-
livestock health
-
livestock welfare.
Mandatory
Programmes may also include
a range of tasks commonly
carried out on farm.
Optional
Utilise technology within pastoral farming
systems.
Programmes may include the
following:
Optional
Credit 5
-
computer software
-
innovative practice
-
continuous improvement
-
relevant agricultural
technologies.
Assess and minimise risk to self, others and
equipment.
Programmes may include a
selection of the following topics:
Credit 10
-
consequences of injury in
the work place
-
safe work practices
-
personal care and wellbeing
-
hazard identification.
Apply theoretical knowledge of sustainable
practices to pastoral farming systems.
Credit 10
Programmes may include
aspects of social, economic
and environmental
sustainability in relation to
pastoral farming.
Optional
Optional
Transition information
Replacement information
This qualification replaced the National Certificate in Farming Skills (Work
Ready) (Level 3) [Ref: 1509].
Trainees currently enrolled in programmes leading to the replaced qualification may either complete the
requirements as specified below, or transfer their results to this replacement qualification.
The last date for entry into programmes leading to the replaced qualification is 31 December 2016. The
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last date for award of the replaced qualification is 31 December 2018 at which time it will be designated
as discontinued.
It is the intention of Primary ITO that no existing trainee should be disadvantaged by these transition
arrangements. Any person who considers they have been disadvantaged may appeal to the Primary ITO
www.primaryito.ac.nz.
Republication information
Version 1 of this qualification was republished In February 2015 to update the Evidence requirements for
managing consistency
Version 1 of this qualification was republished in August 2015 to extend the last date for enrolment on
programmes leading to the replaced qualification from 31 December 2015 to 31 December 2016, also to
extend the last date for assessment from 31 December 2017 to 31 December 2018.
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© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
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